U.S. patent application number 11/270577 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-28 for vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording moving tracks and environmental audio/video data.
Invention is credited to Kuei-Snu Peng.
Application Number | 20060217858 11/270577 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37036228 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060217858 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Peng; Kuei-Snu |
September 28, 2006 |
Vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording moving
tracks and environmental audio/video data
Abstract
The present invention discloses a vehicle running-data recording
device capable of recording moving tracks and environmental
audio/video data, wherein a primary processor processes the
received vehicle operational-activity signals and audio/video
signals to obtain images with the acquired data embedded thereon in
the form of numbers, texts, symbols, or diagrams. In cooperation
with a global positioning system, the present invention can plot a
moving-track diagram. The primary processor records the vehicle
running status and then converts it into files and stores it in a
memory. When the user plays the files afterward, he can obtain
audio, video, operational-activity, and running-status information
simultaneously. The connected external computer can use softwares
to plot a time-coordinate vehicle running-information diagram and a
space-coordinate moving-track diagram. Accordingly, the present
invention provides a vehicle running-data recording device, which
can record vehicle running information and can present it in situ,
in order to implement the clarification of the accident liability
and protect the rights and interests of the driver.
Inventors: |
Peng; Kuei-Snu; (Jubei City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
37036228 |
Appl. No.: |
11/270577 |
Filed: |
November 10, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
701/32.4 ;
340/438 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07C 5/12 20130101; G07C
5/0825 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
701/035 ;
340/438 |
International
Class: |
G06F 19/00 20060101
G06F019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 25, 2005 |
TW |
094204720 |
Claims
1. A vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data, comprising: an
input interface, having multiple operational-activity signal input
ports, and receiving multiple operational-activity signals; at
least one communication interface, connected to a
vehicle-operational computer or a global positioning system, and
receiving multiple running-status signals from both of them; an
audio/video processor, receiving external audio signals and video
signals, and compressing/decompressing said audio signals and said
video signals, and outputting digital audio signals and digital
video signals; a primary processor, connected to said input
interface, said communication interface, and said audio/video
processor, and processing said running-status signals, said
operational-activity signals, said digital audio signals, and said
digital video signals; at least one memory, connected to said
primary processor, and storing data, and having multiple
data-storage sections; and a data-transfer interface, transferring
data to an external device.
2. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said data-storage sections include: a temporary storage
section, a general storage section, and an abnormality storage
section.
3. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, further comprising an operational panel, which is connected to
said primary processor and functions as a human-machine
interface.
4. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said operational panel is an external one.
5. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said operational panel is a separate wired
remote-control operational panel or an infrared wireless
remote-control operational panel.
6. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, further comprising an audio/video output port, which is
connected to said audio/video processor and outputs said digital
audio signals and said digital video signals to a vehicle
audio/video device.
7. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said external device is an external storage device or a
computer.
8. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
7, wherein said computer has a time-coordinate software, a
space-coordinate moving-track diagram software, and an audio/video
decompression and play software.
9. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said data-transfer interface is at least one of the
group of SD (secure digital memory) interface, CF (Compactflash)
interface, USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface, TCP/IP
(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) network interface
and wireless transmission interface.
10. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said input interface is a D/I input contact.
11. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said communication interface is at least one of the
group of RS-232 interface, RS-422 interface, RS-485 interface, TTL
(Transistor-Transistor Logic) level interface and industrial
communication interface.
12. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said operational-activity signals are created by
electromechanical devices of a running vehicle, and said
electromechanical device is at least one of the group of
accelerator, brake, handbrake, turn light, alarm light, headlight,
secondary light, refuel indicator, oil pressure warning light,
radiator thermometer.
13. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said running-status signal is at least one of the group
of ABS activity signal, front/rear collision signal, air bag
initiation signal, accelerator operation signal, normal turning
signal, turning speed of the steering wheel, hood opening signal,
roof vent opening signal, window opening signal, trunk opening
signal, distance detected by the back radar, signal of abnormal
turning at high speed, vehicle speed, radiator temperature, oil
temperature, and oil pressure--the vehicle running-status signals
that can be quantified.
14. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said video signals are input from multiple external
cameras.
15. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
14, wherein said cameras capture the environmental pictures of the
vehicle.
16. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said audio signals are input from an audio receiver.
17. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
16, wherein said audio receiver is a vehicle compartment
pickup.
18. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said primary processor is realized with an integrated
circuit.
19. The vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording
moving tracks and environmental audio/video data according to claim
1, wherein said primary processor is disposed inside a rigid,
impact-resistant and fireproof casing in order to protect the
equipment and the stored data from damage during an incident.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a vehicle running-data
recording device, particularly to a vehicle running-data recording
device capable of recording moving tracks and environmental
audio/video data.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A vehicle running-data recording device is an electronic
device installed in a Vehicle, which can digitally record, store,
and display the speed, driving time, driving distance, operational
parameters, and status information of the vehicle, and can print
the data mentioned above. With those data, a vehicle running-data
recording device can effectively record the driving behaviors of a
driver and the process of a traffic accident so that a quantified,
scientific and fully-intelligent management of vehicle running data
can be achieved.
[0005] There is a Taiwan patent application No. 86210305 "Digital
Vehicle Accident Recording Device", which can capture the video
information of vehicle collision during an accident. However, as it
does not record the detailed vehicle running status, such as
vehicle light usage, speed, turning, braking, etc., it cannot
contribute much to the clarification of the accident liability.
[0006] There is also a Taiwan patent application No. 86220237
"Vehicle Running-Data Recording Device", which can record the
vehicle running data. However, as it does not record the
environmental audio/video information, it cannot contribute much to
the clarification of the accident liability either. Further, it
needs to build extra connections to corresponding vehicle parts
respectively; thus, the installation cost thereof is raised.
[0007] Accordingly, the present invention proposes a vehicle
running-data recording device capable of recording moving tracks
and environmental audio/video data, which can obtain and record the
running data and the environmental audio/video data of a vehicle
simultaneously, in order to overcome the abovementioned
problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording moving
tracks and environmental audio/video data, which can simultaneously
record the vehicle running information and the environmental
audio/video data of a vehicle and can plot a space-coordinate
moving-track diagram and a time-coordinate vehicle
running-information diagram to implement the clarification of the
accident liability.
[0009] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording moving
tracks and environmental audio/video data, which utilizes the
vehicle built-in display device to play the recorded vehicle
running information in situ, so that expensive auxiliary equipments
can be omitted.
[0010] Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide
a vehicle running-data recording device capable of recording moving
tracks and environmental audio/video data, which utilizes standard
communication interfaces having high security and compatibility to
transmit data.
[0011] Further another objective of the present invention is to
provide a vehicle running-data recording device capable of
recording moving tracks and environmental audio/video data, which
is realized with an integrated circuit, so that the present
invention can be miniatured and can be conveniently installed
inside a vehicle of limited space, and the fabrication cost thereof
can be reduced.
[0012] Further another objective of the present invention is to
provide a vehicle running-data recording device capable of
recording moving tracks and environmental audio/video data, which
can transfer data to a specified server anytime via a wireless
transmission method lest the capacity of its memory be
insufficient.
[0013] According to the present invention, an audio/video processor
is coupled to multiple cameras and audio pickups, and a primary
processor is connected to the communication port of a vehicle
computer via a communication interface, and the primary processor
is connected to vehicle electromechanical devices via an input
interface; via the abovementioned connections, the vehicle
running-data recording device of the present invention can receive
audio signals, video signals and vehicle running information, and
the primary processor stores all the received data to a memory
having multiple storage sections; the user can operate an
operational panel to read the running-data record from the vehicle
audio/video device in situ; otherwise, the record can be
transferred to an external computer for advanced analysis via a
data-transfer interface lest the witness be insufficient so that
the user can submit full witness; further, the present invention is
realized with an integrated circuit so that its dimension can be
miniatured and it can be installed conveniently.
[0014] To enable the objectives, technical contents,
characteristics, and accomplishments of the present invention to be
more easily understood, the embodiments of the present invention
are to be described below in detail in cooperation with the
attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the
architecture of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a computer-presented space-coordinate moving-track
diagram according to the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a computer-presented time-coordinate vehicle
running-information diagram according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The present invention receives vehicle-running data via an
input interface and a communication interface; a primary processor
integrates the vehicle-running data, external image and internal
sound and stores them in order to record the vehicle running
information in detail.
[0019] Refer to FIG. 1 a block diagram schematically showing the
architecture of the present invention. The vehicle running-data
recording device 10 of the present invention comprises: a primary
processor 20, processing various digital signals; an audio/video
processor 21, processing video signals and audio signals, and
transmitting them to the primary processor 20; an input interface
22, being a D/I input contact, and receiving operational-activity
signals from the electromechanical devices of the vehicle, and
transmitting them to the primary processor 20; a communication
interface 24, receiving running-status signals from a
vehicle-operational computer 18 or a global positioning system 16,
and transmitting them to the primary processor 20; a memory 26,
providing and storing data for the operation of the primary
processor 20, and having multiple storage sections; and a
data-transfer interface 28, transferring data to an external
storage device 12 or a computer 13. The vehicle running-data
recording device 10 of the present invention is to be realized with
an integrated circuit. The audio/video processor 21 is connected to
multiple external devices, including: a front/rear camera 141,
capturing front and rear video signals; an environmental camera
142, capturing environmental video signals; a compartment audio
pickup 143, picking up environmental audio signals; a vehicle
display device 111 and a vehicle audio 112, playing the recorded
vehicle running information. An operational panel 29 is connected
to the primary processor 20 and is used as a user interface to
control vehicle running-data recording device 10; the operational
panel 29 may be an external operational panel, such as a separate
wired remote-control operational panel 17 or an infrared wireless
remote-control operational panel 15.
[0020] The abovementioned data-transfer interface 28 may be an SD
(secure digital memory card) interface, a CF (CompactFlash)
interface, a USB (universal serial bus) interface, a TCP/IP
(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) network
interface, or a wireless transmission interface. The communication
interface 24 may be a RS-232 interface, a RS-422 interface, a
RS-485 interface, a TTL (transistor-transistor logic) level
interface, or an industrial communication interface, which can
prevent electromagnetic interference.
[0021] The electromechanical devices connected to the input
interface 22 include: the accelerator, the brake, the handbrake,
the turn lights, the alarm light, the headlights, the secondary
lights (including: the parking lights, taillights, position lights,
license plate light and instrument panel lights), the refuel
indicator, the oil pressure warning light and the radiator
thermometer. The running-status signals received by the
vehicle-operational computer 18 includes: ABS activity signals,
front/rear collision signals, air bag initiation signals,
accelerator operation signals, normal turning signals, turning
speed of the steering wheel, hood opening signals, roof vent
opening signals, window opening signals, trunk opening signals,
distance detected by the back radar, signals of abnormal turning at
high speed, vehicle speed, radiator temperature, oil temperature,
and oil pressure those signals that can be quantified.
[0022] When the vehicle is running, the front/rear camera 141 and
the environmental camera 142 respectively capture the front, rear
and surrounding images and then convert the images into video
signals and send the video signals to the audio/video processor 21;
the compartment audio pickup 143 receives the sound inside the
compartment and then converts the sound into audio signals and send
the audio signals to the audio/video processor 21. The audio/video
processor 21 receives the audio signals and the video signals and
compresses them and then output digital audio signals and digital
video signals to the primary processor 20 as a portion of the
vehicle running-data record. The primary processor 20 can also read
the recorded data and decompress it and then output it to the
vehicle display device 111 and the vehicle audio 112. The input
interface 22 receives the signals of the switching actions or the
voltage variation of the electromechanical devices and converts
them into TTL level signals and then outputs the TTL level signals
to the primary processor 20 as another portion of the vehicle
running-data record. The primary processor 20 is connected to the
vehicle-operational computer 18 and the global positioning system
16 via the communication interface 24 and then receives the
running-status signals from them as further another portion of the
vehicle running-data record. The primary processor 20 records the
electronic map and the position data of the global positioning
system 18 and the other data as files and then transfers them to
the external storage device 12 or the computer 13, and then a
software analyzes them to obtain accurate vehicle running data,
which can be used to plot a space-coordinate moving-track diagram
and a time-coordinate vehicle running-information diagram to
indicate the critical point, such as whether there is an abnormal
driving behavior like zigzag driving or driving against the flow of
traffic, so as to clarify the accident liability. The
computer-presented space-coordinate moving-track diagram according
to the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. The computer 13 has a
time-coordinate software, a space-coordinate moving-track diagram
software, and an audio/video decompression/play software.
[0023] When the vehicle running-data recording device 10 is
initiated to record the vehicle running data, the user can operate
the operational panel 29 to play the recorded vehicle running-data
file, and the primary processor 20 will send the audio/video data
to the vehicle display device 111 and the vehicle audio 112 to
completely present the recorded numbers, texts, symbols, diagrams,
video data, and audio data. When stopped by the police for the
reason of exceeding the speed limit, the driver can play the
recorded data and show the recorded speed in situ to clarify
whether there is really a violation of the speed limit. When there
is a front-to-rear collision occurring, the driver can also play
the recorded data and show the recorded images in situ to confirm
that he had really pedaled the brake then or he did not mistakenly
push the accelerator then. When there is a chain collision
occurring, the driver can also play the recorded data show the
recorded images in situ to determine whether the user's car
collided the front car after the front car had collided the car
ahead of the front car or the front car collided the car ahead of
the front car after the user's car had collided the front car.
After the abovementioned incidents occurred, the driver can submit
the backup of the vehicle running-data record to the police or the
court as a reference or a witness in order to clarify the
condition.
[0024] The data-transfer interface 28 can transfer the file of the
vehicle running data to the external computer 13, and the software
can analyze the recorded data to obtain accurate vehicle running
information in order to indicate the critical point and can plot
the time-coordinate vehicle running-information diagram of the
incident to implement the clarification of the accident liability.
The computer-presented time-coordinate vehicle running-information
diagram according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 3.
Further, the vehicle running-data recording device 10 can be used
as an administrative tool of the public-transportation drivers. The
data-transfer interface 28 can transfer the files of the vehicle
running data to a memory card, and when leaving the vehicle, the
driver carries the memory card out to store the vehicle running
data into a specified computer or a data-collection station. Via
software analysis, the driver-administration data, such as driving
hours, the number of speed limit violations or other traffic rule
violations, etc, can be obtained.
[0025] The memory 26 is divided into multiple storage sections,
including a temporary storage section, a general storage section
and an abnormality storage section, wherein the temporary storage
section can store hundreds of seconds of data, and when the
temporary storage section is full, the earliest data thereof will
be covered by the new data so that the temporary storage section
can be repeatably used. Before being covered by the new data, the
earliest data will be compressed and then transferred to the
general storage section. When there is an incident or an
abnormality occurring, tens of seconds of data before and after the
incident or abnormality (it can be preset to be XX seconds before
and after the incident) will be automatically compressed and then
transferred to the abnormality storage region. In normal running,
secondary information in the general storage section can be omitted
so that the data quantity can be reduced. As the abnormality
storage section stores the critical data, the data therein should
not be covered until the data transference has been confirmed, and
the critical data file in the abnormality storage section cannot be
converted into a coverable file until the identity and password
have been confirmed. Only the technician of the
government-authorized factory can perform the abovementioned data
transference, and the authorized factory has the obligation to keep
the transferred critical data complete without deletion or damage
within the interval specified by the government. The identity of
the person who performs the data transference should be recorded,
and the catalog of the transferred data should be kept forever.
[0026] Further, the vehicle running-data recording device of the
present invention can transfer the recorded data from the memory to
a specified server anytime via a wireless communication system.
When the data transference has been confirmed, the data file is
converted to be a coverable one, and then, the memory space
occupied by the transferred data file will be used to record new
vehicle running data lest the memory capacity be insufficient.
[0027] The present invention can also utilize a fixed-point
wireless network to transmit data. The public-transportation
company can respectively install wireless LAN (Local Area Network)
receiving devices in fixed stations. When the vehicle arrives in a
station, the present invention will automatically link the wireless
LAN, and the recorded data will be divided into multiple packets
and then transmitted to the specified server via the wireless LAN
receiving device. The storage space occupied by the data file whose
upload has been confirmed will be converted into a coverable block;
thereby, the problem of memory capacity can be solved with a
low-cost method. Therefore, the present invention can provide an
effective administrative tool for the public-transportation
companies to monitor the latest status of the on-duty vehicles.
[0028] The present invention utilizes the abovementioned primary
processor as the core of the vehicle running-data recording device.
The primary processor can receive video signals, audio signals,
operational-activity signals, and running-status signals and then
processes the abovementioned signals to obtain a vehicle
running-data file. When the user plays the recorded files
afterward, he can review the recorded images and read all the
abovementioned data, which can be used as a reference or a witness
in a traffic accident. The vehicle running data may be further
analyzed by softwares in order to plot the time-coordinate vehicle
running-information diagram and the space-coordinate moving-track
diagram, which can function as forceful evidence. The present
invention provide a vehicle running-data recording device capable
of recording moving tracks and environmental audio/video data to
fully record the vehicle running data and to solve the problem of
the conventional technology that cannot record the running data in
detail; thereby, the rights and interests of an innocent driver can
be protected.
[0029] In the present invention, the primary processor is disposed
inside a rigid, impact-resistant and fireproof casing in order to
protect the equipment and the stored data from damage during an
incident.
[0030] Those embodiments described above are to clarify the present
invention in order to enable the persons skilled in the art to
understand, make and use the present invention; however, those are
not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any
equivalent modification and variation according to the spirit of
the present invention disclosed herein is to be included within the
scope of the claims stated below.
* * * * *